normandy

the most incredible day of the journey

christine gentry told me to be prepared for an emotional day...she was right

jacques perreau, our guide for the day, met us at the hotel at 9...recommended by randy and sally worth...thanks worths!

he was 4 at the time of the war...family lived in trenches...slept on straw...although his momma told him not to go outside when plans were flying over, he did, and was hit by shrapnel...barely missing his carotid artery...has been a guide for 26 years...70 years old

may have to edit this one later...not sure i have everything in notes....

this was main purpose of the trip our vietnam vets, welton-air force and macey-navy seabees, wanted to make this journey

started with a visit to the german cemetary...from 1944-1947, americans and germans buried in same cemetaries...then separated and many families wanted their boys brought home...and many were returned

the germans are buried 2 per grave...stones out of lava stone...almost black....you dont see many flowers here...visits from families are low key as many are ashamed of involvement...impressive yet simple visitors center featuring many letters...tear jerkers

onto village where paratrooper was trapped on steeple of church and museum there

700 tons of bombs were dropped in advance of invasion...toured this area adjacent to utah beach

uncle herman landed at utah beach...walked out into ocean and back....difficult to imagine what he saw that day...today, children playing, dogs barking, people sunning...no blood in the water as he described....only heard him talk about it once...on a return trip from washington, thad, jan and I think paul and i stopped...thad asked him about it and he shared some...i missed most of it unfortunately as i was desperately trying to get the subject changed, aunt e did not want him to talk about it...dont know if he had bad dreams or what...but she was livid...truly the only time i ever remember her being mad...she was....need to get together with charlotte, payne and derek to make notes on what we all know about his time there....daddy said they slept with the horses and cows at night to stay warm

learned that papa nunnery worked on liberty ships in wilmington...building them... and that aunt judith was born in wilmington...didnt know that...injured men could receive shots of morphine...up to 3...so as not to overdose them...needles were pinned to their shirt collars so the nurses/docs would know how many they had received

uncle herman served in pattons army...was an MP

visited pont du hoc...i wondered if the sea gulls were there on d day

while i cannot speak for the others, for me, the time on utah beach alone, walking into and from the surf, where uncle herman was, had a deeper impact than the time we spent at omaha beach did

the american cemetary experience was beyond description...but here goes

uncle larry's uncle joseph...mokie's brother, was killed at normandy...cousin joseph is named for him....aunt louise had an orchid arrangement made in bayeux to lay at his grave, as she promised her father in law she would

upon arrival, our guide had a representative from the cemetary to meet us...she took us, in a large golf cart, directly to joseph's grave...marked with a simple, stark-white, marble cross. there, she and uncle welton brushed sand, from omaha beach into the engraving so that you could better see his name, rank and date of death...excess was then sponged off...very simply but movingly done...she then left us, after placing flags, american and french

louise then laid the flowers...i'm getting emotional just typing this

louise asked welton, earlier in the day, retired national guard chaplain, to say a prayer

the six of us encircled joseph's marker, kneeling, held hands and welton offered an incredibly moving and appropriate prayer...perhaps other words as well...and then we closed together, reciting the Lord's Prayer.

our guide jacques, arranged for our vets to fold the flag as the cemetary was closing for the day...this was a tremendous honor for both and an emotional time for all...as a chaplain, welton has received the flag for presention to the family---which I know he does so well--many times...but had never folded...macey had not either. they did an incredible job with no stripes showing. afterwards, the flag was presented to andy anderson, superintendent of the cemetary and we had family photos.

there are 2 flags there, the second was folded by world war ii veteran, whitney mullen, 90 yrs old, of burlington, former professor at elon college and his son, richard mullen of pensacola, florida, also a veteran. their camera was dead so we took lots of photos of their ceremony to send upon return home...really special to be a part of both for all 4 vets

afterwards, we walked with andy to a grave as he wanted to share a love story with us. we went to the grave of billie harris...he pointed out that in front of billie's cross the grass wasn't as green as the others...as he receives more flowers than any other soldier...or boy...as the french call them...as the boys came to save them

there was in fact a single rose there that day

billie obviously died on d day or shortly after. once the cemetary was created, attempts were made to find his wife, peggy, by people in the village where he died...i cant recall the circumstances of his death...will have to check with the others...but the villagers never forgot him...and around 2000...they found peggy. she had moved from their town several times. since then, she comes to visit his grave several times each year.

a few months ago, andy was sharing this story with a group of marines and it just so happened that peggy walked up...andy stopped, and asked peggy if she would finish the story...and she did....afterwards, a young marine said something like, mrs harris, i notice that you never remarried, why not...she answered...when we took our vows, it was until death do us part....billie kept his vow and i have kept mine

andy also took us, along with the mullens, to a grave of a soldier known only to God where flowers had been left...with this note:
your sacrifice is remembered for barbara m. oski, b. 1 oct 1928, warsaw, poland
enslaved POW, germany, age 16, M.D. Harvard, age 24
thank you
--her son




it was a special day and i wished a lot of people could have been there to share it with us:

robert monk, who i never got to have a veterans day with in washington...thought there was plenty of time but there wasnt

my cousins, charlotte, derek and payne reamy to recall the service of uncle herman

art and alice keeney for the sacrifice his dad made

ruxton and nancy bobbit, as ruxton is a huge history buff

shields and carolyn pittman who participate each year in the wreath laying ceremony at the national cemetary in raleigh

larry, catherine, warren and joseph stancil to have been a part of the ceremony for uncle joseph

staley and christine gentry, if only our time this summer could have been at the same time on this date

ed miles for the sacrifices his family made here

frank and marget ballard who do more kind, quiet things for veterans of world war ii than i know or they would ever admit too

for darren, troy and robert hales to have been with their dad

but most of all my sisters so that we could all have shared in this day with our dad in appreciation for his service and to remember that of uncle herman who was indeed a third grandfather to us

someones in the kitchen with dinah

such a great experience at the cordon bleu...11 of us...retired couple from dallas and their grown daughters...young couple from mexico-she's french, he's entering cordon bleu in mexico city for pastry chef program, young atty from australia...and 3 ladies from johnson city, tn...one, lisa, reminded me so much of friend annette anderson in raleigh...immediately bonded with her and her pals, teri (we sat beside each other and used the S word a lot) and DJ--twin of carolyn coleman beale....this was twin day as the chef had the same stance and mannerisms of former colleague roger earnhardt

lisa is starting a food blog and has written a cookbook. she inspired me to get cracking on the one i said i was going to do...adding it to the list...they were great fun...told them how much i missed country music...these ladies from tennessee--what's the deal?---are not country music gals...DJ said that she had recently been to nashville though and said she saw a t shirt: shit happens and we sing about it...must get jeff edwards' dad to send me one!---sometime when in asheville, they are going to meet me at razzas for dinner

2 hours at the market...fascinating...wish marget ballard could have been with me

lots of food when we returned including shrimp salad in avacados...reminded me of margaret britts shrimp mold...a must for christmas night....good at easter, ground hawg day and bastille day too...but always tastes like christmas night....margaret, lets have duck with orange sauce this year!

cooking demo...mushroom flan, herb encrusted lamb, incredible fig and strawberry tart

not sure if i've blogged about this or not, but after class, rushed to notre dame to meet louise...saint chappelle was built to house the crown of thorns which a french king had bought from another impoverished monarch....when saint chapelle suffered a fire, the relic was moved to the treasury at notre dame...it is shown 13 times a year...on good friday...and the first friday of each month at 3.

i missed much of the service, but did get to see and kneel before it...encased in glass...looks more like a grapevine wreath than what i imagined the crown to look like...but who knows...impressive service

watch your step

while at the british cemetary, aunt louise was cold, and therefore returned to the van...macey was done and he accompanied her...sidewalk about 1 in difference at passenger side, she fell...swore macey to secrecy...thought she was ok...by days end...not so okay...so viv, auntie louise and rann...driver extraordinnarie of stick shifts now, to the hospital....first 2 hospitals we went to were psyc wards...thought i could get a 2 for 1 and admit momma and louise..haha...but finally found emergency room...said we could see the doc in 5 hours....they loved the fact that louise had insurance...she was prepared to pay with credit card or cash if need be...they assured her that she would get a bill when she got home...they really didnt seem worried, no credit card for assurance or anything.

luckily...nothing broken...just bruised...so 5 hours later, return to hotel

doc prescribed 4 medications...total cost...less than 23 euro...unbelievable...what's the deal at home?

road trip

left out a twin, mollie mcinnis, the future of the mcinnises from high point, now a senior at wofford, on the train to versailles yesterday

i want a dog

this trip has created in me a thirst for knowledge...art, culture, history

after geriatrics' arrival saturday, straight to giverny for monet's home and gardens, great to see both after and before seeing so many of his works here in paris...wished that marie martin could have been with us to enjoy the gardens

then onto bayeux...welton and daddy slept most of way...momma too excited to sleep, aunt judith appeared on brink of collapse...louise in charge of 'garmin' gps in english...thanks again beth fleishman for a great recommendation...provided great directions...i do HATE roundabouts...hope to avoid hillsborough street at all costs upon return to raleigh

bayeux tapestry...incredible...tells story of william the conquerer...best audio guide in europe...walks you through, panel, by panel, 50+ of them

to cathedral, one of my favs....entrance at street level...huge doors, flung wide open as though welcoming arms...isnt that the way churches are suppossed to be? clear stained glass, allowing light to come in so that you can see and appreciate the sanctuary and its architecture

dinner, la coline d'enzo, recommended by hotel...best presentation of the 50 days here

hotel d'argous...built in 1700s, beautiful...drive int o courtyard with drive lined with boxwoods in large green planters on either side...as you approach the entrance...lots of grape/salad tomatoes...loaded...had niece emily domenech been with us....there would be none left...she eats tomatoes like a rabbit...loves em...thought of emily often on this trip...realized that i have never had a day with just emily...had many with hannah when she was little...and with hamp and wil...must get to albemarle and do something fun with emily...she reminds me so much of sarah when she was her age...in build...eyes-though hers are brown, sarah's are green...both sisters have sweet, great kids...its fun to be with them...especially when they are all together and their moms are back home...i have much better time with them than they do with me, i am sure

the stinky guy just left the internet cafe...perhaps for a shower....now how will i stay awake?

flowers everywhere at the hotel...beautiful gardens...and pumpkins at the front door...first of the fall...is it fall already?

always think of anne harris when i see a pumpkin...she took all of us...about 60 think, to pilot to the pumpkin farm when we were in god squad...i had 8 dollars...thought i must spend it all...and did, on the biggest pumpkin ever grown...they should have taken it to raleigh for the state fair...had no money for supper at mcdonalds in louisburg...betty oneal bought me a burger...anne told me that day that if she heard mrs harris out of my mouth one more time she was going to slap me silly, to call her anne...have been ever since...still haven't shut up

also think about the hartys when i see pumpkins. halloween was big at 221. stephie was the leader of the punkin carving...one year, i got real nervous...430...about 40 pumpkins lining the sidewalk out front...both sides, as directed by stephie...scooped out, candles in them...but not carved...she screeched to a halt about 435....trick or treaters come in warrrenton about 5 pm...so i was real nervous...anna britt molly and i sat on the steps and watched...she was like a hurricane...got them all carved, brilliantly and we had them lit and ready by 5 or shortly thereafter...jeff and i always lamented about the expense of halloween...first year, i had over 300 kids...did learn to buy candy canes...kids loved em, first of the season, parents thought i was nuts, but they were 18 for a buck at the dollar store...cost effective trick or treating!

loved halloween in warrenton, took day off, made sweet potato pies, veg soup, lunch and dinner for friend and neighbors

the wemyss kids, anna macon, morgan leigh, levi and jacob were in charge at my house...think that is because todd told me after first year that anna macon would like to come to my place...not many trick or treaters across from WGC or in creek...knew what that was like, having grown up in afton...big deal for me to have wemyss kids at my place...all like family...always feel grounded after time at todd and claudias...first year, jacob and levi dressed as bums sprawled across my front steps...scared the bejesus out of many folks...following year...i had a manequin...as in a corpse, on a table draped in sheets, they got underneath and grabbed the ankles of people who dared to check out the 'body'

when i lived at haities, loved halloween, no trick or treaters back there...cocktail party for me...first drink at sandra and travis's, then to mary catherine and jimmy's onto anne and jacks...around the corner to the boyds---velvet and lawrence...continuing around to jennifer and davids and ending up at anna britt and molly's....crawl back through the bushes....did i take off the day after halloween back then???probably needed to

back to europe....leaving normandy, went to mt st michel....biggest crowds there of anywhere...got there at low tide....tide changes there by 40 ft...lots of climbing

picnic at roadside with great view afterwards

onto chartres...recommendation of david rupp...david and his brother had a similar adventure to mine 20+ years ago...57 days...said cathedral was best part...so i had to go...definitely a highlight...cathedral built to house relic...veil of mary...we climbed...except louise...more on that in next blog...to the top of the tower...great views...can see for 60+kilometers on clear day....spiral all the way...near top, 2 jerks had used the bathroom...how common...should have waited to return to bottom, cant imagine relieving myself in a church...but had it been a dire emergency, i would have done it via the gargoyles to see if they worked, haha

lambrith--know this spelling is incorrect...in nave...thought of mary catherine harris, only person i know with her own....lots of chairs in nave, so couldnt walk it...obvious that when you finish, you're facing the Cross

spent almost 3 hours here...incredible cathedral...being restored now...part of it looks like new, like ted echols' cast stone...must go back when complete

entry to cathedral great...lots of beggers in europe at entrance to cathedral...here...older man had flowers in hand...singing a hallellujah song i didnt' recognize, when he found out we were from the states, belted out he's got the whole world in his hands, then with our crazy singing uncle, when the saints go marching in...ladies all go flowers, he got 3 euro, everyone happy

funeral at st sulpice

attended, honestly-by accident, the last few minutes of a funeral at st sulpice last thurs...appeared to be for young man as little kids followed widow out of cathedral...undertakers very upset with some folks at back of church who didnt have the good raising to stand...held up recessional

interesting to watch...casket in center aisle with huge candles at each corner...flowers underneath...feet first...therefore facing altar...at end...pallbearers...four...hefted it upon shoulders...turning it around...faceforward to head out....cornellia and ed wiler...had i brushed up on my french and been better prepared, i would have asked the family if they had any deviled eggs and tomato aspic...perhaps i could have gone with them to the house...some fried chicken would be good too

no margaret britt, i did not take a chicken casserole

i do attend a lot of funerals...they are very important...and you never know if you might make a difference...my first funeral was that of edgerton rideout...some may recall edgerton...he was a big as the side of the house....first cousin to ma on the pinnell side...i couldnt have been more than 5...sat with ma...on right side of church...very odd i remember...ma always sat on the left...casket was open, large ladies who lived on the rideout farm went up to pay their respects, dressed to kill in black with hose that made loud noises, scrunch-scratch-scrunch, when they walked and big hats with feathers....after the service (this was before we added onto the front of providence...those steps were always mean, they said, for the pallbearers to get down with a casket, especially one as heavy as that one)...there must've been a lot of momentum heading up the aisle because the cart and casket kept going and bumped down a step or 2...i turned around to see...ma told me to face the front...i am sure that dorman probably had a stroke

grandmas was next....2nd grade...7 years old...remember the day she died...ma told us when daddy came in at supper...she was crying...momma was of course in selma...i went out to cry with the dog...dogs are great comforters you know...i remember wendy...who may have been 2 coming out to check on me...she's still checking on me

burying a child has got to be the worst thing ever...granny, grandmas momma, was still living...i can still see and hear her raw emotion...seems like she and aunt frances were there when momma and daddy took me to parishes to see grandma

back to why funerals are important...when we stepped out of the chapel to go to the family car, katy jones was standing there...or she came to the car...cant specifically remember...i will never forget that...we played with brad and alice alot and momma and katy were great buds...for a little boy...having someone he loved and respected in a strange place with mostly strange people for a event in life that he hadnt experienced was a big deal. had the opportunity to share that with katy recently...it seemed as though she barely remembered going...and didnt realize the impact it had on me.

when gan died, mamie helen came and took over. the odoms are always there for important paynter events...thinking back...it was a big deal that she took over at bessie paynters...ma didnt let anybody in the kitchen...except us...ever...but mamie helen was in charge

when ma died and there was 26 inches of snow on the ground, about 100 people came to afton...i think i could name 80 of them...we knew that those folks really wanted to be there....and it meant so much

there are four funerals i would have attended had i not been in europe...
...graham boyd...must get to ferns and lawrence and velvets upon return...always so kind...and when i moved into the house on fairview street, the first housewarming gift i received was from graham and fern...potpurri...when i opened it, i thought, what??? i had sold hundreds of bags of smell of citrus/lemon at interiors...but never had bought any...but a perfect gift...the house was spotless...you could eat off the floors when i moved in...anyone who knows harriet banzet, would know that to be true...but it hadnt been lived in since mrs daniel had passed away....a shut up house, plus a house full of furniture which had been in barns, garages, closets, etc....the perfect gift.

...i think i first met selby benton when i used to hang out at odom motor service with mamie helen and popeye afterschool...the furniture store was next door and if memory serves correctly, he would come in every afternoon for a coke or something...then, in God Squad, we went to summer camp at lake gaston estates and selby was of course there...then, in the 8th grade, he was involved in my nomination to a rotary leadership weekend...in recent years as his eyesight was failing...he would recognize my voice uptown as he sat with popeye and mamie helen selling avon (at last i thought he did-mamie helen may have said, here comes rann-regardless, it made me feel good)

...joan culberson, a true lady and friend in asheboro, wife of banker jim culberson....she was having a bad day when i drove through town in july and jim and i agreed it would be better for me to come another time...but i didnt make it back

...dr holt. when we moved to warrenton, we lived in dr holts little house...he had big dogs...boxers...i remember him coming to see gan when we thought he had kidney cancer...gan's family farmed dr holts daddy's land...a visit to dr holt was also on my list for this fall...3 quickies on dr. holt...he removed a huge moth from my ear one night after a football game...it flew right it...dr holt pulled it out with tweezers...wings still flapping...i thought it was going to go through to the other ear...hurt like hell...not dr holt pulling it out, but the wings flapping

after the christmas party at my house, last year in warrenton, he sent me a note thanking me for inviting him...said he especially enjoyed the silver bullets in the bathtub (which served as the beer cooler), said it reminded him of prohibition

about 5 years ago, wendy had some eye challenges...i didnt think things were progressing fast enough...suggested she call dr holt...she said, he's too old, he's not even practicing...i said, but everybody at duke eye center knows tom holt...so she consented to me giving him a call...i woke him up...he had fallen asleep reading the paper...he said that since he had retired his license, he really didnt know anyone...2 days later...i received...typed...of course...a note from dr holt...it said that he had been thinking about wendy and recalled a few names which he provided...he went further to emphasize that he really was asleep when i called and though it probably sounded like/appeared as though he was drunk or hung over, that was indeed not the case, he had dozed off in the sun while reading the news and observer.

patriotism

although i truly believe our freedom in america is fragile and will continue to be so...but that's the subject of book...we are so very fortunate to have the freedoms we hold dear...i've loved every second of the time i have had in i dont know how many countries, but i wouldnt trade my citizenship for that of any other

while daddy is a veteran, believe my patriotism was entrenched during 75-76, kindergarten with harriet banzet...our kindergarten graduation had a bicentennial theme...dont think i've heard yankee doodle dandy more than 3 times since then...dont know why, it's a great tune...but all those great songs, you're a grand old flag, etc...she taught us...we had great teachers at WA...not only banzet, but libba traylor---who painted her lipstick on---didnt know at 7 that that was hot, but it was---ann fleming---elaine coleman---betsy brown---mary catherine harris...most are still teaching me things today....those teachers and our parents instilled so much good in us...though i have not been blessed with children...it is amazing to me to see the kids of kathy coleman, now kate hazen; laura scott bay; karen harris moseley; jimmy vaughan; and katherine harris young...they all have the same manners we grew up with...

speaking of kindergarten, a real treat one february day when mamie helen odom picked me up from school...mamie helen and popeye are like family to us...first neighbors sarah and i had and the best ever...great until we got to afton and nobody would tell me where my momma was...gan must've been in the field...daddy was delivering equipment to long manufacturing in tarboro, dick womble...engineer at daddy's shop, was having lunch with us...i recall having a meltdown...one hampton short would be proud of

later that day, wrecked golf cart, macey very upset...perhaps he had a meltdown then....

sometime around christmas that year, recall that sarah and i were told we would have a baby brother or sister...turns out this was the day wendy arrived...feb 26...ma's birthday was the 25th, she had said the night before at supper to momma that she was going to work herself into the hospital...did not, of course, know what that meant...

wendy's arrival great....rest of day not so good, daddy pissed cause i wrecked the golfcart...i was only 5-give me a break...also upset sarah...cant recall why, she threw daddy's 100 ft tape measure at me...hit me in the upper lip...all photos of us with wendy as a newborn feature my the scab

so blessed to have 2 great sisters...and...things do happen for a reason...moving home after pfeiffer gave me opportunity to get to know wendy...being 6 years apart...that was really great

versailles

yesterday took us to versailles...last trip there it rained like you wouldnt believe...wind a blowing...remember that lisa wilson and i literally held onto each other for support, umbrella inside out...

great visit there...judith, welton and daddy rented a golf cart for gardens...louise, viv and i walked to marie antionettes domain...had to wait for noon for it to open...momma and i rented a row boat and rowed the grand canal...suzan monk and tim horne would have been proud of me

after first 30 seconds momma relaxed and loosened her grip on the sides of the boat, thought at first she might crack the hull...she had her life jacket on...understandable...she has always been deathly afraid of the water...aunt judith is too...momma took swimming lessons at the Y and "graduated" about 2 years ago....girls and i very proud...now next time she takes us to the lake we can all swim

visit to notre dame in the afternoon,

macey and viv had date night, rest of us went to l'entre cote...great restaurant...no decisions as they serve...ONLY...salad...steak with incredible sauce...fries...no ketchup...ever...we returned, with parisian lovers macey and viv tonight...welton and i had crepes on return trip

last night beautiful family at next table...mother looked like catherine deneuve (sp?)...little boy, 6, taking english...had beautiful magazine with cats...prompted me to get one for emily...emily...act surprised on christmas, ok?

cant wait to blast out the speakers in the automobile upon return...now listening to "where you are" fav rascal flatts tune on u tube---have seen them in concert 3 times...they dont play it...have only heard it on the radio once

sometimes you just have to go off on your own...51 days, 51 minutes or 51 seconds whatever it takes

ya'll know that daddy and i cannot go anywhere for more than 24 hours and not search for junk...did major flea market today....i bought nothing...still no silver...he bought lee a surprise...and some old keys...momma found 14 dessert plates...all different...new look for the hutch in the kitchen...and a copper kettle...maybe she is going to make apple butter???? damn thing weighs at least 25 lbs...i carried it at least 4 kilometers today...i think it will have my name on it with masking tape for after she crosses over

great to spend a day with the parents today...appreciate them more each year as i get older...typing this now as perhaps they wont read and it wont go to their heads since they are here in paris rather than at home in afton....they really are great...and i probably drive them as crazy as they drive me...on occassion...both ways

we really were fortunate to have parents who supported us in everything we did...i would bet my retirement account that they didnt miss a dozen things from the 3 of us...i only know of one for me...both vehicles were 'broke down' when the pfeiffer choir sung at carnegie hall and they couldnt get to nyc...thought they were going to miss the messiah, senior year, but they made it in the nick of time...chapel was packed...they stood with backs to door with david and corrine smith...so that was great, got to look right at em during the concert...hope music program at pfeiffer has days of full chapels again

speaking of pfeiffer...thought of elsie and ken lowder when in dijon...she collects owls...little brass owls embedded in the sidewalk leads visitors on the city tour...they've led a lot of young people during their time at our little school

also, cant help but notice the uniformity of the canopy (level of leaves on trees) in the gardens and streets here...didnt even have a clue about this until serving on campus beautification with joan eargle...so glad got to spend a weekend with joan and zane, joanie, cole, russell, zane, andrew and maggie before departure...while at pfeiffer, when we had student dinners, folks would fight over getting to sit in the dining room with zane...mickie rose...then nolan...and i learned early on, better to sit in the breakfast room with joan...we ALWAYS got seconds and sometimes thirds....folks in dining room...got to go back to the dorms.

visited food market today also...tapanade, bread with walnuts, blue cheese, salami...made for great picnic...then, got to sail a toy sailboat on the pond...no change at the boat rental...very kind lady...isabelle and her adopted russian daughter...whose name i cant recall, paid my rental as i am a 'guest' here...when i asked how to do this...she said, just put the boat in the water, when the wind hits it, run like hell to the other side before it crashes...had a bamboo batton to prevent this occurence

returned to orsay with viv and to the orangerie museum as well....then 2 hour nap

several folks here think my name is phillipe...that was my name in french class...have thought to much about carole wilkerson, my favorite high school teacher (french, homeroom and yearbook)...wish i could visit her and tell her all about my travels here...ironically, her daughter jamie friended me on facebook today...perhaps carole had a hand in that from above today...french 2 was the best...we helped her grade papers alot and worked on the year book, as dan blaylock, melissa draffin and evelyn hall and i were melbourne playing buds (french card game) in that class. melissa made crepes for her french project, thought of her each time i had a nutella crepe here